St. John’s desire is two fold: First, to nurture and serve its parishioners in the living Faith of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ through Traditional Anglican Worship, the Sacraments and the Holy Scriptures. Second, by growing in Christ and in His Church we will share and minister the Christian Faith to our surrounding communities.
We invite you to learn more about the Christian Faith in the Anglican Tradition by reading our condensed articles below and also search out the links provided on the links page for further inquiry and study.
St. John's Anglican Church is a parish in the Diocese of the Northeast (DNE), of the Anglican Church in America (ACA), which is the American branch of the global Traditional Anglican Communion (TAC). Our church is committed to biblical teaching and preaching, to the truths expressed in the Apostle's, Nicene, and Athanasian Creeds, to traditional and orthodox worship as contained in the historic (1928) Book of Common Prayer, and to upholding the historic threefold male ministry of bishops, priests, and deacons ordained in Apostolic Succession.
St. John's is a young parish in an ancient Church, founded on November 22, 2003. We are a part of Christ's Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church, born some nineteen centuries ago. More specifically, we are a part of the Anglican family of churches which had its origins in the British Isles in the first century, and were carried around the world wherever English speaking people were found. Our mission is two fold: to build up our own members in Christ, and to reach out to others, inviting them to share the blessings of this fellowship. Through faithful witness, carried out in our corporate life and the lives of our individual members, this Church strives to proclaim the Christian faith in all its fullness: That Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior Who suffered, died, and rose to bring us God's gift of salvation - ETERNAL LIFE !
From the beginning, Christianity has been a sacramental religion. Jesus Christ ordained two preeminent sacraments for all His people; Holy Baptism, by which we are made living members of Him and are grafted into His new eternal life and Holy Communion, through which our souls are sustained by His divine life as we strive to be Christ's faithful soldiers and servants in this world.
We believe that the Holy Scriptures are our rule of faith, and that the historic Creeds (Apostle's, Nicene, and Athanasian) summarize all the articles of Christian belief. The Anglican Church has always believed and taught as essential doctrine only what can be proved from Scripture and what was believed and taught by the Church in its original undivided state. Anglicanism has no novel or original doctrine of its own; it holds fast to that which it has received.
The mother church of Anglicanism, the Church of England, was a pioneer in translating the Bible into the language of the people and putting it into their hands, their homes, and their lives. The Anglican family of churches throughout the world is truly a teaching Church, encouraging and promoting among its people the study, not only of Holy Scripture, but of truth wherever it is revealed; in history, philosophy and science.
In the corporate worship of the Anglican Church, the congregation is made up of participants, not spectators. When the historic 1928 Book of Common Prayer is properly used, all worshippers are brought completely into the services. The Book of Common Prayer has been recognized by literary experts, as well as church scholars as a literary masterpiece. With its beautiful and lofty language, it helps direct our souls to the worship of Almighty God and strengthens us in our daily life of prayer. This ancient and lovely worship is an offering of our best to God. The building, altar, vestments, music and liturgy express not only worldly pomp, but our hearts desire to worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
As a Church of Spirit, the Anglican Church emphasizes primarily the nurture of the individual soul in the new life in Christ. But the Church recognizes that love for God is unreal unless it is manifested in love for neighbor. Therefore, it is a Church of service to others, keeping its members ever mindful that we are the hands and feet of our Lord upon earth. It is a Church of fellowship, for we must live our love for God in the world through people. Laughter and happiness are gifts from God to be freely enjoyed as we share our faith with others.